WHAT IF
by Angel-B-15
Summary: a story about what might of happened if the volturi let bree live and stay with the cullens at the end of eclipse. it continues from the part that bella and edward get back to the clearing after the fight. this is my first so please R&R! XOXO Angel B
1. The Volturi

**1 - the volturi**

When we got to the clearing, Jacob and all the wolves were gone, of course. The air was filled with a black and purple smoke, that had an icky, sweet scent to it, that was coming from the big fire in the middle of the field. I looked around myself anxiously, still clinging to edward as he moved closer to the fire, and was instantly relieved a little bit.

Stood around it, was all my soon-to-be vampire family, still all intact, and looking perfectly healthy. They all turned and stared at us as we approached, and Esme's motherly smile settled my stomach some.

"Bella, dear, your alright" she called as she came over to us. Edward set me on my feet, taking one hand as we met her. "well done, Edward" she added, giving us both a soft, little hug.

When we reached them all, i couldnt help but stare into the flames and ashes of the reason for my worry for the past month or so. But when i looked back to Edward, his eyes were locked on Carlisle, his brow furrowed slightly.

"What is it?" I asked, looking at Carlisle to try and figure out the problem. He wasnt looking at Edward, nor at the fire or the rest of us. His eyes were focused to the side of him, in the distance abit. I looked aswel, feeding my un-controlable curiosity, and gasped as i saw.

There, not 10 metres from where we stood now, curled up on the floor in some source of pain, was a girl. I knew she wasnt just any girl: of course, she was a vampire. One of the newborns, that had just fourght here, by the looks of it. From what i could see of her, she had long, brown, curly hair that waved far down her back, skin a ghostly white, casualy dressed, and her eyes were a light, blood-red that told us all she wasnt very old in the vampire world.

That, and that Jasper was standing over her, alert and ready in case she made any sudden moves. Alice was close by his side, watching the girl aswel, watching her fall in pain.

This confused me aswel. Jasper wasnt touching her, the fire wasnt touching her, she had no reason to be in pain. We wasnt going to hurt her, that was clear by the fact that she was still alive, so why would she be like this?

Edward saw me stareing, and moved his arms to tuck me safely into his chest.

"She surrendered. Thats one i'v never seen before. Only Carlisle would think of offering. Jasper doesnt approve." he told me, looking back to the girl on the ground. I rested my hands on his chest, trying to look round Jasper so i could see her properly.

"Why is she... hurting?" I asked, feeling uncomfortable now as it carried on. But as soon as I'd spoke, the young girls eyes flashed upto mine, and her teeth barred straight away. Jasper moved closer to her, warning her, and Edward shifted us so he was blocking her view of me.

"She's very young. she hasnt been... raised, in the same life style as us, isnt on the same diet" Edward explained to me, makeing me understand straight away. This girl was hurting... because of me.

"Shouldnt we move away from her?" I asked, trying to make it better now.

"We carnt. the Volturi will be here in a few minuetes" he told me, and my stomach started turning again instantly. He looked back into my eyes then, and saw the worry and anxiety rareing in them. "dont worry, it'll be fine" he assured me, then looked back at the girl.

"Can we move back or something? she looks like she's hurting bad" I whispered to him, but her eyes shot to me again, her nails digging in the dirt below her.

"Her pain isnt just because of you" he assured me, made me confused more, but got the girls glareing eyes off of me. They shot to him, wider now, and instantly saddened more. He just looked back at her, his eyes blank as he heared what she was thinking.

"Its ok, young one" Carlisle soothed her as he walked over to Alice. he touched Jasper's arm to ease him, but it didnt help much. Jasper clearly didnt trust her and was still very wary, but I put it down to his earlier experiences with newborns.

"How can you stand it?" she asked him, her pain and agony back to haunt her again. "I _want_ her" she said threw her teeth, balling her hands up into fists as they continued to scrape in the ground.

"You must stand it" Carlisle answered her. "you must exercise control. It is possible, and it is the only thing that will save you now."

A flood of giult washed over me, and I put my head down. I didnt like being the one that was hurting her.

"Do you think the Volturi will spare her?" Rosalie asked emmet, and I saw him shoot her a disbelieving look. I frowned then, looking back at the girl, and then back at Edward, who was watching me aswel.

"What?" I asked him, and he knew what I was reffering to straight away.

"She is one of the newborns that have been illegaly savaging seattle. Some of the voluri is comeing to punish them, and still might" He explained, his voice grave as he thourght of it.

"But she surrendered. she didnt fight, right? she didnt know what she was doing" I said, my voice more urgent and rused now.

"The Volturi might not see it that way, Bella. We are hopeing they do, but Alice see's them being led by Jane" he sighed, shaking his head slowly.

I shuddered at her name, and then the picture of the young, child-like, sidistic vampire flashed in my head, and I knew this poor girl didnt have a chance. My mind racked itself for an answer, and just a minuete later, came up with a good one.

"Does she want to live? Does she want to stay with us?" I asked them all, and Carlisle looked at me thourghtfully, with a hint of confusion twisted in there.

"Do you?" he turned and asked the girl, gaining her attention straight away. She stared at him for a minuete, then nodded quickly, looking back at me again for a breif second.

"Yes" she said in a rushed, scared tone.

"Then carnt she be?" I asked, getting everyones eyes on me again.

"Bella, what do you mean?" Edward asked, frowning down at me slightly.

"Think about it, Edward. The Volturi seem to have no problem with Carlisle making newborns, as he's made all of you. So why not bring her to us, and say thats she's _our_'s? Say she was sick and dieing, so Carlisle saved her. They wont have a choice but to spare her, right?" I asked, looking around at all of them before i rested my eyes on the girl.

She was frowning at me now, confused by my words probably. I smiled friendily, which made her eyes widen slightly more.

"That might actualy work" Emmet said, sounding abit too surprised that I came up with it then anything else. He smiled wryly at me, which just made me roll my eyes.

"Yes, it is a good plan. But what do you mean: bring her to us?" Carlisle asked, only looking at me now.

"Well they'll know were not together if she's all the way out there, wont they? Bring her in a little bit, make her look like one of us, so they'll actualy believe she is" I shrugged, and looked back up to Edward.

"Bella, it might be abit... dangerous, for her to be any closer to you" Jasper said then, talking for the first time.

"But she knows she'll probably die if she isnt" I contradicted, and they all looked around at each other, then at Carlisle.

He sighed and turned to the girl, nodding his head slightly as he thourght.

"Would you be able to do that, child?" he asked her, and we all watched intently. Her eyes settled on me again, confused and wary, and still hurting.

"Could i try, please? i... i dont want to die" she said, her eyebrows furrowing as she closed her eyes tightly.

"Of course" Carlisle said, and held out his hand to her.

"But remember: try anything, and we'll end you. we would rarther have our Bella then you" Jasper added qiuckly, and shocked me loads.

He wasnt trying to be mean to her, just cautioning her, as he knows what newborn vampires are like more then any of us. But when he said '_our_ Bella', I couldnt help feeling a little bit flattered. Me and Jasper had never realy been close, what with him being the youngest and the accident on my last birthday party, but this felt like a final acceptence from him, and it pleased me.

"1 minuete" Alice called to everybody, and hurried to stand near Esme, who was the closest to them in our little line that had formed.

Jasper moved to walk infront of the girl, as Carlisle led her by her side, untill they reached Alice, and the girl was no more then 3 metres from me now.

Edward pulled me to the end, putting Emmet and Rosalie inbetween us aswel, and then tried his best to relax a little bit.

"Whats her name?" I asked him, and Carlisle looked down at me, like he was shocked or something.

"Bree, Bree tanner" Edward told me, whispering slightly now, as all the faces turned to the north edge of the clearing. I squinted threw the smoke to try and see them, but failed with my dull, human eyes.

But a few seconds later, even i could make out the 4, dark shapes that were coming towards us. 4 dark cloaks, 1 a light gray, 2 a dark gray, and 1 almost black. The one at the front. The smallest one of them all. Jane.

My throat clentched tighter as they got nearer, and I pulled myself closer into Edwards side. He had one arm wrapped around me now, and the other at his side, balled up into a fisit-claw that showed some of his irritation and anger.

I couldnt help but look down the line at the girl, Bree.

She was stareing at the cloaks aswel, a strange twist in her anxious eyes. She had seen these cloaks before.

When I looked back infront of me, the Volturi were not that far away now, and they stopped about 10 feet away from us. I noticed them all, as they have stared in most of my nightmares that I'd had about the volturi in the last couple of mounths or so.

The one nearest to Jane's side, just abit taller then her, and with a face as twisted and gifted as her's, was her brother Alec. The one in the light gray cloak, a tall, lean man with light brown hair, was Demetri, the Volturi's lethal tracker. And then the massive, dark haired, giant at the back, who was wearing the other dark gray cloak like Alec was, was Felix.

All these I had remembered fiercely, almost as much as there masters: Caius, Markus and Aro, the flakey skinned ancients who were the leaders of the Volturi.

They all looked just as scarey and menessing as when I'd met them before, if not worser now. They all put there deep hoods down in unison, and there darkened red eyes stared at all of us again and again. None of them spoke, so it was total silence for a short minuete.

"Welcome, Jane" Edward said then, his fist more tensed up at his side now. Jane continued to look around the clearing, at all of us, at the flames and smoke that filtered from the fire in the middle.

Then they rested on Bree, and narrowed slightly. I saw Bree put her head down, but lifted it back up when she looked at Carlisle.

"It appeares that you'v done our work for us today... for the most part" she said, her voice betraying her annoyance. Her eyes settled on bree again, and then swept down the line untill they met mine.

"We have done your work for today, comepletely" Edward said then, correcting her. Her eyes flashed to him, then from him to bree, and back again.

"You'v missed one" she said, as if correcting his correction.

"No, we havent" he replied, stareing back at her fiercely. "Bree is one of us" he added, looking down the loose line at the young one there.

"We heared the newborns were in seattle" Jane said, clearly not buying it.

"They were, but bree is not one of _those_ newborns" Edward told her, looking back to her now with a faint smile on his face. I frowned at him slightly, but shook it off and hid it for later.

"I changed her" Carlisle spoke up then, attracting Jane's eyes straight away. "she was dieing of servier burns in my hospital 4 months ago. She isnt that young. It was just after Edward came and visited you" he added, makeing the story up nicely as he went along.

"Are you sure about that?" she asked, questioning him now. He frowned slightly, playing it well, and then smoothed out his expression and held his head high.

"Most certainly" he vowed, and then looked at Bree for a second. "she is adapting to this life slowly, but very surely. I can assure you that she had nothing to do with the inccidence in seattle, exept there ending"

"She helped end them?" Jane asked, abit shocked now.

"Yes"

"And, just for professtional curiosity, how many were there? They left qiute a wake of destruction in seattle" she said, like we didnt already know.

"18" Jasper answered then, and I noticed his hand was on Bree's back, always cautioning her, but not in a way that Jane would notice it.

"All brand-new" Carlisle added, as he saw Jane's shocked and disbelieving face. "they were un-skilled."

"All?" Jane snapped. "then who was thier creator?"

"Her name was Victoria" Edward answered her, makeing me shudder lightly as i thourght of her.

"Was?" Jane asked. "who dealt with her?"

"I did" Edward told her, and i saw Bree's eyes shoot to his face, a small smile treading at the tips of her lips then. This ovbiously pleased her: that Victoria was dead.

"And this Victoria, she was in addition to the 18 here?" Jane asked slowly.

"Yes," Edward confirmed. "she had only one other with her. He was not as young as the rest, but no older then a year"

"I carnt deny that im impressed" Jane muttered then, a small smile on her face. "I'v never seen a coven escape this magnitude of offensive intact. Do you know what was behind it? It seems like extreme behavior, considering the way you live here"

"Victoria held a grudge against Bella" Edward told her, meeting my eyes shortly when I looked upto him.

"This one seems to bring out bizarrely strong reactions in our kind" Jane laughed happily, smileing evily at me. I didnt feel any pain, which just proved that whatever disfunction in my brain that protected me, was still working nicely. And I was actualy happy about that now.

"Would you please not do that?" Edward asked her in a controled but furious voice. Jane laughed.

"Just checking. No harm done, apparently" she smirked, and then sighed lightly "well, it appears that theres not much left for us to do. Odd: were not used to being rendered unnecesary. Its too bad we missed the fight, it sounds like it would have been entertaining to watch"

"Yes" Edward said then, his tone harsher now. "and you were so close. Its a shame you didnt arrive just a half hour earlier. Perhaps then you could have fulfilled your purpose here"

"Yes, qiute a pitty how things turned out, isnt it?" Jane replied with a blank expression. Edward just nodded at her, his expression a strange twist of many, and i wondered what he was hearing in her head.

She turned to go, but then qiuckly turned back, and made my throat nearly close up all the way.

"Aro hoped that we would get far enough west to see you, Carlisle" she said. "he sends his regards"

"I would appreciate it if you would convey mine to him" Carlisle replied, and let us all breath again.

"Oh, i'v just remembered" Jane said then, and shot her eyes straight to me again, narrowing them slightly into her evil glare "Caius will be _so_ interrested to hear that your still human, Bella. perhaps he'll decide to visit" she said then, a smug little smirk twisting her face up.

"The date is set" Alice said then, and I was grateful I didnt have to speak. I didnt think I could at this moment. Janes smile dissapered like somebody had wiped it off her face.

"It was nice to meet you Carlisle. I thourght Aro was exaggerating" she said, and then half turned away from us. "well, untill we meet again..." she added qiuckly, and then turned her back on us, and then so did the other's.

We watched them untill none of us could see them anymore, and then we all waited untill Edward couldnt hear them anymore, which only took a minuete or two.

When they were completely gone, and we could all breath again, Jasper was the first to move. He picked the young girl up, flashing them both over to the other side of the clearing from us, and sitting her down there. He towered over her again, stareing at her intently, while she looked up at him, scared stiff.

I wanted to go over there, to tell him to ease up on her abit. After all, she had done very well for the past 5/10 minuetes whilst the Volutri were here. That fact had probably saved us all. But when I went to take a step closer to them, Edward pulled me back qiuckly, holding me tightly to his chest so I couldnt move.

"Whats wrong? I thourght she did good" I said, confused now as i saw Carlisle walking over to her and Jasper aswel, and Alice following qiuckly behind him.

"She did, but that doesnt mean its all ok now Bella. She needs time to get your scent out of her system" Edward told me, tightening his arms around me carefully. I frowned up at him, even more confused now.

"What?"

"She had your scent in her system before she came to the clearing. They all did. Riley had your shirt, he told them all to find you, and thats were they'd find us. The trail you left for them worked perfectly, but they were _hunting_ you to get here" he told me then, with a deep sigh. "Its hard to break out of that hunt once your in it"

I just nodded thourghtfully, and then stared at the girl curiously, and watched her stare back at me.

"You were right though," Edward told me then, making me look back at him "the Volturi would have killed her if she had not been with us. Jane was debateing to kill her anyway, but luckily, she believed us. Just" he said, smileing proudly down at me. I smiled back up at him, and then pulled my arms around his neck, letting his slide down to the small in my back.

He leant down and kissed me, just for a few seconds, but it was perfect.

XOXO Angel B


	2. stories

**2 - stories**

We all got back to the house- Edward carrieing me infront of them all, and Emmet carrieing Bree, just so she couldnt try anything- and me and Edward went straight upstairs, to give Bree some space. we went into Edwards bedroom, and he shut the door behind us, while I went and sprawled out on the bed.

He came and lay with me, locking his arms securely around me, all our spirits raised now that we didnt have the fear and worry consumeing our every thourght. He said Bree was telling them all down stairs about what had happened, what she knew of Victoria and us, and what would she like to do now.

That was the bit that i got listening too. Edward went down stairs for a minuete, so i sat at the top of the first flight of stairs, listening closely to her decistion.

"I am thankful, to all of you, for saveing me. And the way you live here does feel safe, and that is all I wanted, realy. I can try, try hard, to form into your lifestyle, but it may be... difficult" she said, her words more qiuet and rushed that I sturggled to hear some of them.

"We will help you, child" Carlisle promised her, his voice soft and calm. "it does get easier, after time"

"But why? Why do you make it hard for youselves? Animals cannot be that fulfilling. Why do you have a human with you all the time?" she asked, confused and urgent, as she glanced upto me. I hadnt noticed that they'd noticed me, which was pretty stupid seen as they could hear everything I do.

I was curious about this girl though, and as I stared into her bright ruby-red eyes, I couldnt help but wonder if I would be like this, when i became a newborn vampire, too.

All there eyes focused on me for a second, and then Carlisle sighed lightly, and smiled at me.

"Edward, would you bring our Bella down, please? It's ok, I believe Bree has herself under control now" Carlisle asked, and then I saw edward walk in from the dining room and around to the foot of the stairs.

He smiled up at me, and held his hand out for me.

"We live this way, because we dont want to hurt people" Carlisle explained as I took edwads hand, and then as I was carefully walking down the stairs to him, he added "none of us chose this, just like you didnt"

When I reached Edward, he pulled me upto him, smileing wryly as mine spread wider too. And then his arms folded around my waist and back, and he lifted me down the last step to push me into his body. We both laughed together then, and I noticed that everyone was stareing at us, some just stareing, some smileing, and some rolling there eyes.

Bree stared only at me, confused, with most of the pain in her eyes gone now. She went to say something, but then stopped before she did, and just sat there silently while Edwards laughs continued to fill my ears.

"She isnt scared of me" he said, to answer Bree's unspoken question probably, in a calm and playful voice. I frowned at him, trying to fight the smile that urged at my lips.

"Not at all?" Bree asked then, her high voice shocking me abit. I looked at her, letting my smile brake threw slightly, and then back to Edward, who was waiting for my answer. I shook my head qiuckly, and saw his one eyebrow raise instantly, which just made my smile wider.

"No" i told them both, biteing my lip, and stareing into his golden eyes. It was the truth though, and I couldnt change that.

I looked back around the room, seeing Bree's light frown that creased between her eyebrows, and then at everyone else. I saw the bands in Emmets arm flexing as he smirked at me, and then Jasper's still protective stance, and rosalies slight glares. And then corrected myself.

"Maybe abit scared of Emmet, and rosalie, and Jasper" I said qiuckly, and heared Emmets booming laughs fill the whole house. Bree looked at everyone else, and her frown only deepened when she looked back at me, although now she had abit of understanding mixed in her eyes.

Edward was still looking at me, one eyebrow raised, and fighting a smile. I shook my head at him again, and let my smile widen as his eyes narrowed.

"Only because I know you _wouldnt_ hurt me, not that you _couldnt_" I assured him, and then saw his brilliant smile light up his whole face. He moved me down the stairs then, off them completely, and to Alice, who was stood near the front door.

She smiled and winked at me lightly when we got there, and I smiled back at her, then at Bree.

"Why though?" she asked, looking back to Carlisle. She clutched her throat then, squeezing her eyes tightly as she tried to focus again. Did all the others go threw this aswel when I was near? Did I cause them all this pain? Cause Edward this? More giult filled me, but I couldnt do nothing about it now, as Edward would only deny it if I asked. And so would the rest of his family probably.

"Bella is with Edward, she is family too. And we do not harm our family" Carlisle told her, makeing me smile faintly at his words.

"I thourght humans wernt suppose to know about us" she said then, looking back at me. "how did she find out?"

"There not, another rule of the Voluri: We have to remain inconspiques. But like I said, Bella is with Edward. She found out threw a... knowlegable friend, and then put the rest of the pieces together herself. She wouldnt tell anyone else, as she knows the conseqeunces that would have on all of us" Carlisle explain to her, and I couldnt help but focus on the hesitation in the middle.

Wouldnt this Bree, if she was to stay with the Cullens here, need to know about the Werewolves? Or maybe Carlisle didnt want to overload the poor girl just yet.

"There is lots for you to learn, child. You are free to go your own way, as we would never force anyone to do anything, but we will explain everything we know if you want to hear it" Esme said then, her motherly tone calm and gentle.

"I want to stay" Bree said, more confident about it now.

"Then you will have to learn our way of life. We live with the humans, not against them. Our diet consists of animals, and nothing else. We interract with humans everyday, and have no visual problem with that. Other's travel around, as they can not stay in the same place because of thier feeding habits, but we can" Carlisle told her, pleased that she wanted to stay, I think.

"We also have more things that others dont" Esme said, and looked at all her gifted children. "Alice," she gestured to her, a warm smile on her face "can see progective visions of the future. Jasper," she gestured to him. "can control other people's emotions, as you probably know by now" she said, and Bree looked at jasper warily.

More understanding filled her eyes though, so that was an agreement.

"And then Edward," she gestured to him whilst her smile got wider. "Edward is a mind reader" she told her, and looked back at Bree's shocked face.

"It is alot to take in" Alice commented then, calm and softly. Jasper's head snapped round, clearly dislikeing the contact between Alice and Bree, even though it was only speach and eye contact.

"You'll get used to it though" Emmet commented then, folding his arms across his broard chest, and I saw Bree flinch away from him abit.

"We all play our little parts in the family" Esme told her, to calm her again, probably. "Emmets is the strong brother, the one who protects us dearly, and who's never afraid of a challenge"

"Esme's the perfect mother, constantly loveing and careing, and Carlisle's the knowledgeable farther, who always knows whats right" Edward said then, smileing warmly at Carlisle, and then at Esme, who smiled back at both of us.

"Alice is the dinky, all seeing eye, sister that has a ton of clothes" Rosalie said, smileing at Alice.

"Rosalie's the mardy, model sister that loves her reflection, but can be great" Alice jabbed back, and they both laughed lightly.

"Jasper's the combat brother, always being helpful, and curcious of course" Carlisle did jasper's, and made a pleased smile light up Jasper's face.

"Edwards the watcher, brilliant muscian son that always knows how to protect his extending family" Esme said then, and i saw Edwards smile turn joyous and grateful as her's turned proud.

"And then bella's the clumsy sister" Emmet said, laughing again.

"Soon-to-be a Cullen" Alice added as she smiled at me.

"Soon-to-be Mrs Cullen" Eward corrected her, and then kissed my neck softly, which just made Bee's eyes shoot wide open.

"Soon-to-be wolf chaw if she dont stop hitting them" Jasper said then, and everyone in the room, exept for Bree and me, started laughing humorously.

"Ok, we get the point. Im the crappy Cullen" I said, and Edward just laughed louder in my ear.

"Far from it" he whispered to me, and made me giggle too.

"You see? We play our part, we do our jobs, we live happily. Just keep this in mind as we teach you, ok? We could be doing this in 50 years or so, and you could be apart of it" Carlisle told her then, and her eyes watched me carefully. I stared back at her, seeing Jasper inching closer every anxious second, but Edward telling him it wasnt necissary. I could see the focus, the control, the longing for control, in her eyes.

At least she was trying. That was a start.

"Let us tell you our story's, as that will help you learn about us" Carlisle said, and then stood, taking a deep breath and dareing to go first.

Everyone crouded closer, and Edward took us to the couch, sitting on the arm, and sitting me on his lap. We were still a few metres from Bree, but that didnt stop me getting abit anxious. It past qiuckly though, which I put mostly down to Jasper.

Alice was sat next to us, on the actual couch seats, and Esme was next to her. Rosalie and Emmet were sat in the two chairs, while Bree was sat on the love seat, with Jasper towering over her and Carlisle stood infront of her.

"I was born in london, over 300 years old. My farther used to lead hunts for vampires, witches, and all the rest of it. When I got older, and he couldnt do it anymore, he passed the searches to me. I actualy found real vampires, hideing in sewers under the drains, like alot of them did back then. When the first vampire showed, when it was late at night and I had gathered everybody ready, he became crazed with the thirst.

"He ran for it, but turned back on us soon as he was too hungry. I was the closest one to him then, and he jumped on me, biteing my throat qiuckly. But the others got there soon after, and he had to run again, leaving me un-finished in the street. I knew I needed to get away before they came back, as I knew they would burn anything infected by the creature, so I crawled and burried myself in some potatoe sacks for the 3 days that the transformation was taking place.

"Then when I realized what I had become, I hated it instantly. I tried everything to end it, but was, of course, unsucessful. I was hideing under a rock cave near a field one day, the thirst burning so painfully I thourght that could kill me, but it didnt. I hadnt fed on humans, or had I ever intended to, so my throat was burning weeks after. Then a heard of dear came thew the field, and I found that I could feed without killing humans. And I havent had a drop of human blood in my whole vampire life.

"I travelled then, all around europe, untill I reached italy. I found the Volturi then" he said, and Bree hissed instinctively, drawing her lips back over her teeth. Jasper went to move closer to her, but Carlisle stopped him. "Its alright, they can be helpful sometimes. They were the most civilized vampires I had come across, and I stayed with them for a little bit. And I studied many things when I left them, includeing medican. Thats were I found the thing I like most.

"I became a doctor, with careful years of practice, and that made me happy. Which is where I came across Edward" he finished, and then sat down next to Esme. It was clear that it was Edwards turn to go next, but I dont think he was too fond of it.

He got up carefully, placeing me back on the arm, and standing between me and Bree.

"Ok, yes. Carlisle found me in a chicago hospital, in 1918, when I was dieing of the spanish influenza. My life before that hadnt been anything special: I was all set for the life and glory of the army. My perants had died of the desease before me, which was how he knew I was alone, as he'd treated them aswel. He'd grown lonely, and had been turning the idea around in his head for a while.

"When he changed me, he took me back to his place, and let me transform there. From the day my transformation was complete, I could hear what people around me were thinking. So it took me a few years to tare away from Carlisle. I went on my own, only feeding off humans, but the criminals, and not innocent people. But I could still hear what they were thinking while I was feeding, and couldnt cope with it long. Carlisle and Esme welcomed me back like a hero, which was much, much more then I desserved.

"I studied, moved, lived the life Carlisle had made for me for nearly a hundred years. Then just over a year ago, I met Bella. Now, she has become my life, and will be for the rest of it aswel" he said, coming back over to me and taking my hand in his. "It was difficult at first, yes. And we have been threw some... rocky cliff patches, but thats all behind us now. We'v got an infinate future infront of us, as Bella is soon to join our world, after she's become Mrs Cullen, that is" he finished, and made me giggle.

"I believe Esme is next" he added then, and pulled me up so he could slide onto the arm again, and then rest me on his lap like before.

"Well, there isnt realy much to my story" Esme began as she got up off the couch. "my baby boy had died, only days old, the poor thing. And I had been taken into a hospital when i'd jumped off this cliff, because of it. Thats where Carlisle found me, and swooped me up to be his forever wife.

"I have lived with him since I'v changed, and taken in these 5 as my joyful children" she said, gestureing around the room. "and now my family is growing again, with 2 more now" she added qiuckly, and I smiled to myself, knowing that I was one of them 2.

"We got Rosalie next" she added, and then looked saddened as her eyes shifted to Rosalie and back to Bree. "but you can hear her story some other day" she decided then, but Rosalie was already shaking her head.

"No, its fine, Esme" she said, and then took a deep breath and stood up.

"I was left for dead in a street by my fience. I was vien, and I loved it. I met royce, my fience, at the bank my farther worked at, as his farther owned it. My life seemed perfect, and I was going to have everything I ever wanted, everything I'd ever dreamed of" she said, her voice turning abit choaked now. "but then I saw him, with a bunch of his mates, on my way home one night. They were all drunk, and they targetted me.

"Carlisle found me there, he smelt the blood, and came to investigate. He took me back to his place, and changed me. I woke to my new life, in mostly shock, and hurt. I went and killed them all though, got my revenge, which made it better for me. Then, years later, I found Emmet. he was fighting with a bear, but I didnt want him to die. I carried him back to Carlisle, and he changed him for me, so I could live with him always. We'v been married so many times now" she laughed a short, humorous laugh at the end, but her eyes were still saddened.

Emmet stood up then, thinking hard, and his eyes saddened too as he looked at Rosalie.

"My story aint nothing great. Like Rose said, she saved me from a bear I was haveing a disagreement with. She brought me to Carlisle, and he changed me for her, which Im very glad about. She might think death is better, but I couldnt imagine not liveing this life with her now, even if I did go upto heaven or something like that" Emmet said, and went back to Rose, kissing her forehead lightly before he sat back down in his chair again.

A tiny smile bent her lips up, and then stayed there as they looked into each other's eyes for a second. Although it wasnt much, the moment was so intimate I felt the need to look away, and give them the privacy they should have.

"Next it was Jasper" Carlisle said, and then smiled at his newest son, while Jasper just stared at him, his wary eyes. He sighed then and relaxed his stance over Bree to stand infront of her properly. "his story will be simular to yours, child" Carlisle added, catching Bree's attention qiuckly. Her eyes became urgent then, and she looked back at Jasper, confused again.

"Yes, simular" Jasper started, and then sighed again. "I was a soldier in Texas, when I was human. High up aswel. I had a good way of comunicateing with people, which is why Carlisle thinks I have my little talent of controleing emotions around me. But on one of my duty's, I came across 3 women, or so I thourght they were, by a lake. I went to them straight away, offering my assistance, as we were avacuating everyone in that area.

"The main one, Maria, took a likeing to me, and changed me right there. She explained most things to me, but I wasnt told about the Volturi, or the other way to live. I was there to help her with her army, and be with her, that was it. She started making loads, carefully though, and I had to train them. They were diciplined though, so it was easier, calmer, to control them. I thourght Maria loved me, but I was just her puppet. I made a threw good friends in there, and my right hand man was a nice guy called Peter.

"Then, when it came to... disposeing of the older ones, Peter was acting strange. He had come with me this time, but as a girl came into the room where we were waiting for her, he screamed for her to run, and then ran with her. I left them, thinking they'd probably die on there own. All I knew of this life was war. But they came back, came back to tell me about the other kind of life, the life that had been kept in the dark from us.

"I could see maria was getting greedy, and that she was turning on me the way she had turned on the others, so I went with Peter and the girl, Charlotte, for a while. But I didnt stay with them for long. I went apart from them, went my own way, which is where I found Alice, or where she found me. I was in a little cafe once, and she was waiting for me in there, having already seen me and all of this in her visions. She brung me here, and surprised all of these lot aswel. But we adgusted, and im still adgusting abit" he finished, and moved nearer to me for abit, not feeling the need to hover over Bree anymore.

"And my story is the shortest of all" Alice declared, jumping up cheerfuly off of the couch and going to stand next to Jasper. "I carnt remember a thing about my human life, or my creator. I have found out, last year, that I had been in the dark alot, so thats probably why I didnt remember much. And that my creator turned me to protect me, before he was killed by the one he was protecting me from"

"James" I breathed, unthinkingly, and everyones eyes turned to look at me.

"Yes, James" Alice comfirmed, and then said back to Bree "Bella's had an encounter with him aswel, which was how I found out this about myself. But I did see a vision of all this, which was why I went and waited for Jasper at the cafe. I told him he'd kept me waiting for a long while, and he said 'sorry ma'am'" she laughed, and ended the story telling session on a good note.

XOXO Angel B


	3. thank you

**3 - thank you**

Bree smiled at Alice then, and seemed to ease up abit. Alice turned and winked at me once before sitting back down on the couch.

"So, what about you, Bree?" Alice asked, and then we all waited while she scrambled her thourghts together.

"Well, I dont remember much about my human life. I can remember I'd run away from home because of my dad, and I was realy hungry. Then Riley found me, and took me to _her_. She changed me, and then we were stuck in a basement all day, only allowed to go out every other night and feed. I hid behind this big guy called Fred, who's realy nice, and has a talent like you's aswel" she said, and I saw Carlisle lean forward abit to here her more.

"Its a defensive power. It makes you invisible, makes people neasuas when they try to look or think about you. It is optional though, it can come on and off when he wants it too, and it can protect other people aswel" Edward said then, and Bree looked up at him, shocked and confused again now.

"Erm, yeah. He helped me, kept me out of peoples way, because it was realy dangerous down there. There were two gang leaders, Kristie and Raoul, and they were constantly at war with each other. And Riley wasnt there at night, so if they were together there, people always ended up loseing limbs or being killed and burnt. And then, one night out on the hunt, I met Diago" she said, and then her voice turned sad and hurting again.

"He was more then a friend, and he saved my life, or so I thourght: He took me to a cave when the sun came up, so we didnt burn" she said, and confused all of us.

"Honey, we dont burn in the sun" Esme told her softly, with the slightests of frowns on her confused face.

"I know that now: We just glitter, like disco balls. But Riley told us we would burn in the sun, and that he's saw evidence of people who had done in the past" she explained then, talking to Esme now.

"Why would he-" Esme started questioning, but Jasper cut her off.

"To make sure they came back to the source house, and didnt run riot over seattle in the day" he told her, his voice thick and understanding. she looked at him for a second, and then left it, and looked back at Bree.

"Thats what me and diago figured out, before any of the others, about 5 days ago" she said, and then turned sad again. "When diago went to talk to Riley, the morning after we'd followed him to the cottage where _she_ was, he was going to tell him about the sun. Diego was like Peter to you, Jasper. He was his right hand man, the one he trusted and liked the most. Diago trusted him, he said he'd be back, but when Riley came threw the basement door, Diago didnt follow" she said, and then dropped her head down into her hands.

Esme went to her straight away, rubbing her shoudler and back as she 'shhh'ed her qiuetly.

"Riley held him infront of her, and she tore off his arms and legs, after burning away his fingers, his toes, his lips, his tounge, his nose, his everything. They killed him horribly, and he _trusted_ him" she said, as she tearless sobbed into her hands. I longed to comfort her like Esme was, but I knew it would just make it worse if I went any closer to her, course her more pain and hurt.

"Its ok now, dear. There gone, they all are. Edward took care of Victoria, and Riley, so you dont have to worry" Esme cooed to her, and then looked at Carlisle helplessly.

"Bree, you dont have to finish your story, if there is more. You can tell us another time, yeah?" Carlisle asked her, and her whimper's softened slightly. "come on, its ok now, I promise"

"We'd better get you home" Edward told me, rubbing my arm gently as I watched the young vampire.

"Ok" I whispered to him, and let him stand us both up then, wrapping one arm around my waist to support me better. I looked back at them all, and saw Bree had calmed herself again, and that they were all looking at me.

Alice got up then, and came and gave me a gentle hug, which made Bree abit more alert now.

"See you soon, Bella" she said as she let me go, and then smiled at me encourageingly.

"Sure. Thank you, Alice" i said, smileing back at her.

"You can sleep well tonight, Bella" Carlisle told me then, smileing just like Alice.

"Yeah- no evil vampires are after you, for once" Emmet added then, making us all smile faintly.

"I know, and thank you all. You'v done more then I could ask for me, and not just today, but ever since I'v met you" I said, truely grateful to all of them.

"Its no trouble, dear" Esme assured me, smileing contently. I smiled back, and then waved once, before Edward opened the front door and I stepped out of it.

"Edward, will you be back tonight?" Carlisle asked him, and I looked up at him too, hopeing for his answer.

"Not if Im not needed. I would like to stay with Bella tonight, if thats ok" he said, and I fourght the little smile on my face desperately. After all, I didnt want to push it. Hadnt he already chosen me over his family far too much today?

"Ok then. We will see you tomorrow" Carlisle said, and nodded to us.

We got out into the cold air, shutting the door behind us, and the wind swept my hair around my face wildly. I started down to my truck, that one of them had parked outside for me, ready, when Edward stopped me half way.

"Hold on. Somebody wants to speak to you" he told me, and then looked up at the door again. I looked too, and saw it carefully opening, and letting the light from inside shine out brightly. Then I saw carlisle come out, followed shortly by Emmet, and then Jasper.

But just behind Jasper, sandwiched between him, Rosalie, and Alice, was Bree. she was looking straight at me, her eyes softer then before, and her face smoothed out gently. Jasper stayed infront of her, but only halfly, so she could still see me and I could still see her.

She looked at me for a second, untill she realized everyone was watching her and waiting for her to speak first, so she took a deep breath of clean, whispy air, and began.

"Erm, I would just like to say thanks. You kind of saved my life today, and, although you seemed horrible at the start, you seem pretty alright now" she told me, a faint smile on her lips. I smiled back, my smile abit wider then her's.

"Thank you, Bree. that means... strangley, alot to me" I replied, and there were smiles coming off everyone then, even Rosalie.

"Come on, its cold out here" Edward urged then, smileing warmly at Bree, before turning us both to the truck. He put me in the passenger's seat, which for once, I didnt mind, and then climbed in the drivers side and roared the engine to life.

The other's were already huddleing Bree back inside, and they were in before we were out the drive way.

Edward drove slowly now, one arm touching the wheel, and one arm wrapped around me. The joy and realization of sucess kicked in then, and we were both laughing aimlessly with each other.

When we pulled up to Charlies, Edward didnt hesitate to take me in properly. He came and opened my door for me, and I was instantly wary of the wry smile that spread across his face then.

"Whatever it is, no" I said, and shut the door myself.

"I was just thinking how lovely your ring would look on you now, instead of hid away in my pocket" he said, lifting my left hand up and analizeing it carefully.

"What are you saying? You know I carnt have it on, Charlie will see it" I said, and then suddenly got what he was talking about, and my whatever expression I had on my face froze. "no way!" I said, carefully thinking about it. I knew I'd have to tell him sooner or later, but hadnt enough already died today?

"He's in a good mood tonight, and he isnt even thinking of makeing it difficult for me- it could be a once in a life time opertunity" he told me, a small smile lurking at the tips of his lips.

"He'd shoot you" I told him, very confidently.

"But wont hurt me" he replied, raiseing one eyebrow up at me. I hesitated, and then sighed loudly, disbelieving that we were about to do this. He must of lost something in the fight- like his brain!

With the deepest breath ever, I let him lead me upto the pourch, and then open the door and pull us both through it softly. I swallowed the massive lump that was chokeing my throat then, and tightened Edwards hand in mine before taking us both into the front room where Charlie was sitting on the couch.

XOXO Angel B


End file.
